


Home, Where You'll Only Find Love

by Jeniouis



Series: Lessons Learned [13]
Category: Avengers (2012), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Past Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-25
Updated: 2014-10-20
Packaged: 2018-02-18 09:00:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2342696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeniouis/pseuds/Jeniouis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve still has nightmares.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you're not familiar with the series, you might want to read [Be My Jedi Knight](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2063430/).

Though it never went past just sleeping, Steve and Tony slept in the same bed together. Tony would hold Steve close, wrapping his arms around him and Steve would purr, happy to be in his alpha's embrace. They would talk about everything. About each other. Just getting to know one another. They would talk until one of them fell asleep. Usually Steve first. Tony would kiss his cheek and hug him even closer. Falling asleep himself soon after.

But sometimes Steve would become restless in his sleep. Just start tossing and turning. Sometimes even fighting. When he did Tony would hold him close. Not too tight or anything. He wouldn't want Steve to feel trapped but he wanted him to feel protected and safe. Tony would whisper comforts on his ears. "It's alright now. You're safe now." Tony would assure him. Would promise to him until Steve would calm down and drift back into a peaceful sleep.

Sometimes Steve would start crying, softly pleading 'No. Stop, please'. His body would tense with fear. He would try to cover himself. Trying to keep his assailant away. Tony would wipe away his tears then and pull Steve to him, hugging him, telling him his alpha was right there. That he wouldn't let anyone hurt his omega ever again. Tony repeated it over and over until Steve would stop crying and drift back into deep sleep.

Sometimes Steve would jolt awake, shooting upright and away from Tony, leaning against the headboard, hugging his knees to his chest. Tony understood why. Since they haven't bonded, the first thing Steve would smell was an alpha. That added with whatever horror he had been reliving in his nightmares would horrify him. Tony would give him space them. Would give him a moment to breathe. Steve would cry. Bitterly. Would whisper something Tony couldn't hear, didn't really want to hear. But Tony would start talking to him. Would call his name and tell Steve to look up at him. When he would, and would notice that the alpha he smelled was Tony, not the monster of his nightmares, he would lung towards Tony. The alpha would wrap his arms around Steve, holding him close and tightly. Steve would apologize for being a burden and Tony would tell him that he wasn't a burden. That it wasn't his fault. He would tell Steve that he would protect him. That everything was alright. That he was safe. Was always safe with Tony. Gradually Steve would calm down.

Sometimes he told Tony about his nightmare, what he had relieved. Sometimes he couldn't. It was too soon. Tony didn't mind; he could wait forever for Steve. After a while, Steve would fall back asleep in his alpha's embrace.

Sometimes Steve had nightmare throughout the night. Being restless one moment crying the next, going back to restlessness and Tony was there for him every moment. Sometimes Steve only had one nightmare. Sometimes Steve slept the whole night through peacefully.

Maybe Steve would be able to get past this and sleep comfortably. Maybe he'll go the rest of their lives with nightmares. Tony didn't care either way. As long as Steve was hurting, Tony was going to be there to comfort him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn't supposed to happen but I was rereading this (when I should be sleeping) and figured I could do a little more with this.

"It's being held down. That's the thing that freaks me out the most. The fact that he would wrap his hands around my wrist and I wasn't strong enough to stop him." Steve said so quietly. It had been a bad night for him. Hadn't had a moments rest since they went to bed. Steve had jolted awake three times in between fits of crying and restlessness. Tony was holding him now, rubbing his back and his cheek, every now and then kissing his hair. He hadn't said anything; he just let Steve talk. It wasn't often that his omega wanted or could speak about the incident as it was so when he did, Tony made sure to let him. "And he did it often, he would...whenever he caught me in the room alone. I tried to stay away but it wasn't like I had anywhere else to go. Not until I met you." Steve up at Tony sadly yet fondly. He still had a few tears in his eyes that Tony wiped away and kissed his forehead.

"I wish I had known, I would have kept you safe." Tony said as he hugged Steve close.

"I know you would have. Like you do now." Steve said, lying his head in Tony's shoulder. "This would be easier if we were bonded. If I could just get over it." Steve said as if he were guilty of something.

"No, no darling, this isn't you're fault. We'll get through this together, okay? I can wait for you Stevie." Tony reassured the omega as he often had to. It hurt Tony to see Steve's confidence so crushed. The blonde smiled sadly and pecked his cheek.

"I know Tony. That's what makes you a great alpha." Steve said fondly. "And what hurts too is that...I had been waiting, you know? I was waiting for bonding and he...I'm used now." Steve said, hanging his head. Tony's heart shattered. He couldn't tell which was worse: hearing what happened to Steve or watching all the misplaced guilt that he carried from something that was the epitome of not his fault.

"Stevie baby, that's not-you are not used. That's not how I could ever see you." Tony said, wondering why it was suddenly do hard to find the right words. Tony had comforted omegas who have been through this type of trauma, including his father and Rhodey. But now he just wanted to take all of Steve's pain away with just a few words but he couldn't find them. Maybe there wasn't any. Maybe Steve would just have to go through the whole recovery period. The tedious, heart wrenching, painful recovery period.

"You are not used. I love you. I could never see you like that and that's all that matters, is me and you." Tony said, searching Steve's eyes. He found out he could tell a lot about Steve's mood by looking at his. Most omegas were like that. His dad had taught him that. Steve paused for a moment, smiling hesitantly but before long his eyes sparkled happily and his smile grew as he kissed Tony and leaned into him hugging him tightly, purring happily. But before Tony could ponder on this sudden change of mood, Steve said.

"You love me? You mean that?" Steve asked. Tony hadn't even really thought about what he said until now. And it wasn't until that Tony realized how much it was true.

"Yes I love you, very much." Tony said with all the honesty in the world.

"Even with having lost my..." Steve trailed off with a sad sigh. You love me anyway?"

"Yes, of course, nothing will change that." Tony said sincerely. Steve smiled and kissed him again.

"I love you too." Steve said and Tony just had to smile back. It wasn't the magical cure Tony had been hoping for, he could still see pain in Steve's eyes, but that happy smile made Tony inexplicably happy.

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you enjoyed it. :D
> 
> Please leave feedback and feel free to criticize; I am always looking for opportunities to grow.
> 
> I’ve launched an E-Zine where people submit their favorite fics and the best ones get published in the zine. I’m doing this because I want to create something that acknowledges fanfic writers and makes them feel confident about themselves while bringing people of different fandoms together. To submit your favorite fics, go [Here](https://goo.gl/forms/h0LI8s7WGgZV2gBl1)


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